I’ve never been to Austin, Texas, or Athens, Georgia. But one day I hope to, and when I do I think the music of Alejandro Escovedo and Peter Buck — two musicians closely associated with these cities — will soundtrack my trip.

Alejandro Escovedo embodies Austin’s reputation as the indie-est of indie music havens. Building a career around a Texan take on punk-edged three-chord bar rock, Escovedo is a rock ‘n’ roll survivor with a loyal following, a songwriter whose work recalls greats like Dave Alvin or Elvis Costello.

“You just do your good work, and people care,” Escovedo says in a press release. “I always believed, when I was a kid, that if you just worked hard, you would find fulfillment.”

And that kind of blue-collar sentiment is all over Escovedo’s latest studio release, 2012’s Big Station. “Austin’s changed its tune,” he sings on track “Bottom of the World.” He continues, “Show me what hasn’t” — like a just-off-the-clock grease monkey at your favorite dive bar.

Born in Berkeley and now living in Seattle, Peter Buck made his name with a little band from Athens, Georgia —you might’ve heard of them: R.E.M. One of the most well-respected and influential guitarists of the post-punk era, Buck now dabbles in various side projects, most notably with the baseball-themed group called The Baseball Project.

Performing together, Buck and Escovedo are two old friends making a delightfully garage-y noise. You’ll hear Escovedo tunes, and maybe a cover or two, like The Stooges’ classic “I Wanna Be Your Dog.”